


Filial

by maddy_does (favefangirl)



Series: Camelove 2021 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: But with a good heart, Canon Compliant, Family Fluff, Father Figures, Found Family, Gen, Merlin is an idiot, Misplaced, Romantic Gestures, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29338671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/favefangirl/pseuds/maddy_does
Summary: The new kitchen maid is very pretty, even if she’s old enough to be Merlin’s grandmother. She’s polite, and gentle with the younger servants. Merlin thinks they’d be perfect together!For once, Arthur might be right - maybe Merlin should mind his own business.
Series: Camelove 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151495
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10
Collections: Camelove 2021





	Filial

**Author's Note:**

> [@Camelove2021](https://camelove2021.tumblr.com/) Day 3 - Wait... What? "It's Wednesday"
> 
> i may have missed the mark a little with this one. whoops!! 

It makes a change, Arthur being the reasonable one telling Merlin not to do anything stupid. Merlin is so used to things being the other way around. He doesn’t miss the way Arthur rolls his eyes as he goes back to his paperwork, nor the resigned sigh as he does so. Merlin thinks he’s being dramatic, he’s sure his plan is genius! Still, he’s slightly more uneasy leaving Arthur’s chambers than he had been when entering them.

He’s trying to do Gaius a kindness. Gaius has always taken care of him, going well beyond the duties of a mentor or friend in order to keep Merlin safe, and to try and make him happy, too, if he could manage it. He just wants to repay him, even if in this the tiniest of ways. The new kitchen maid is very pretty, even if she is old enough to be Merlin’s grandmother. She’s polite, and gentle with the younger servants. Merlin thinks they’d be perfect together!

Arthur isn’t convinced. He doesn’t think Merlin should be meddling in anyone’s love life. He’s adamant that if Merlin just lets Gaius get on with it, then if he wants to he can find a woman for himself. Cleary Arthur doesn’t understand that that’s not the _point_ . He’s going to find a new love for Gaius so that he can have done something good for him for once, rather than bringing trouble to his doorstep, and dragging him into all of his crazy, illegal, magical schemes. He’s doing this _for_ Gaius, and he knows this plan is perfect.

He’s going to deliver her flowers and say they’re from Gaius, then invite her on a date on his behalf. Convincing Gaius to go along with it will be easy. He’s surely lonely, with only Merlin for regular company. His only friend seems to be Uther, and honestly, Merlin would rather have no friends at all. He’ll just give Gaius the location, and everything will be sorted. Gaius will be thanking him and Arthur will be eating his words. (Helping Gaius is the main quest here, but if he can prove Arthur wrong in the process, then it will be all the sweeter.)

He has to pick up some new horse shoes from the blacksmiths in town anyway, so he stops by the flower stand on his way back to the castle. He's thrumming with excitement as he reaches the stall and orders a bouquet. The old woman who runs it smiles, and then smiles more when he overpays her. She’s a good woman, Merlin thinks as he walks away with the bright, colourful flowers. He’s in the mood to be generous today.

He drops the horseshoes off in the stable, then double checks the bouquet before heading down to the kitchens. Fortunately, Dionisia is kneading bread and giving a couple of scullery maids directions on how to prepare the king’s lunch. Merlin smiles at her when she finally lifts her head to see who has come through the door. She smiles back, but it’s tight, and tinged with confusion. Merlin’s grin grows as he presents the bouquet to her, bringing out it from behind his back. She merely quirks an eyebrow at him, keeping kneading.

“I come bearing gifts,” Merlin announces, ignoring the giggles and the whispers from the maids in the corner. “From Gaius.” Dionisia frowns at that as Merlin lays the bouquet on the side for her to get later when her hands aren’t covered in flour and dough. “He has asked me to invite you out to walk with him this evening, at around 5 o’clock. He would like it to be a date.”

Merlin can barely keep still as he gets the words out - this is going _perfectly_. The maids are wearing identical shocked faces, the food beside them all but forgotten as they no longer even pretend to do anything but eavesdrop. Merlin continues to ignore them, all his attention on Dionisia, who has suddenly gone very pale. Merlin appreciates that it must be quite the shock. He can’t imagine she gets much male attention anymore, pleasant as she is to look at. She flounders for a moment before smiling, and that’s all the affirmative Merlin needs.

“Great!” He exclaims as she opens her mouth, no doubt to confirm what he already knows - that she’s thrilled at the prospect, and that she can’t wait. “I’ll tell Gaius. You won’t regret it!”

He wastes no more time before turning and sprinting out of the kitchen. She calls after him, but he doesn't need thanks, so he ignores her. He intends to run straight to Gaius and tell him the great news, but he’s stopped by Arthur calling his name. He stifles an eyeroll and turns to see Arthur marching up the corridor towards him. Ignoring a kitchen maid is one thing, but ignoring Arthur will get him thrown in the stocks. Merlin taps his foot impatiently, but knows better than to say anything. Arthur finally reaches him and holds out a set of horseshoes to him.

“Merlin, you prat, these are the wrong size!” Arthur admonishes. “Go back and get the right ones.”

Merlin hums in annoyance. He’d been so focused thinking about flowers, he’d barely paid attention to the shoes. All else today is a distraction. “Can’t it wait?” He asks, and from the look on Arthur’s face, he doesn’t need verbal confirmation that, no, it very much can’t. 

With another sigh, he takes the shoes and begins speed-walking back into town to get the right ones. The blacksmith just chuckles at him when he explains the predicament. It’s an unwelcome delay, but there’s still plenty of time before Gaius has to meet Dionisia, so he’s unconcerned as he finally makes it back to their rooms. He bursts inside and immediately starts calling for Gaius, excited to finally tell him the great news.

The blow to the side of his head comes as a surprise.

He turns to see Gaius standing there, frowning at him, one hand raised where he’s just struck Merlin, the other holding Dionisia’s bouquet. Merlin looks between Gaius’ furious expression and the flowers, and feels his own features begin to twist into a frown. He doesn’t understand, and maybe his face must express some of that confusion because Gaius very stiffly begins to explain.

“Dionisia came to inform me that whilst she would be very happy to be my friend, she cannot go on a date with me. She kindly returned the flowers I sent to her via you.” He quirks an eyebrow as Merlin tries to comprehend what he’s being told. “Care to explain, Merlin?”

“Well I-” Merlin begins, eyes fixed on the flowers. “I just thought you might be lonely. I thought a date would be good for you.”

Gaius tuts and shakes his head at the flowers. “So you thought you’d humiliate me by trying to set me up with a woman who was far too young for me, and married?”

Merlin’s eyes widened. “Dionisia’s married?” Gaius tilts his head at him with an unimpressed look. “Sorry,” Merlin says quickly, shaking his head. “You're right, not important.” He takes another look at the flowers before adding, “I was just trying to do something nice for you.”

His voice sounds small as he says it, though he doesn’t mean for it to. Maybe part of this exercise was selfish, wanting to receive some kind of praise in thanks, something he so scarcely ever receives, but mostly his intentions were good. It’s been so long since Alice, and Merlin knows it was mainly his fault Gaius didn’t leave with her in the first place. He wanted to try and make up for that, and for every sacrifice Gaius has made, and every risk he’s taken for him. Merlin knows there aren't many men who would have jeopardized so much for a boy who was barely more than a stranger when Gaius took him in, whatever affections he might have held for Merlin's mother.

Gaius shakes his head and places the bouquet aside before taking a step forward. Gently, he cups Merlin’s head where he’d hit him earlier. “Is your head okay?” He asks, then adds with a slight smirk, “Other than needing a thorough examination.”

Merlin manages a small huff of laughter. “It’s fine. I’ve been through worse. And I’m sorry. I’ll explain to Dionisia and apologise to her, too.”

Gaius smiles, even if a little sad. “It was a nice gesture, Merlin, but I’m capable of finding my own lovers, thank you.” 

Merlin tries not to pull a face at ‘lovers’. “Aren’t you lonely?” He asks instead, as Gaius starts to walk over to where he’s brewing something in a cauldron on his desk.

Gaius considers him for a moment with a look of disbelief. “How can I be lonely when I have you?” Merlin assumes it's not an insult.

“Yeah, but it’s not the same,” he insists, walking to the desk. He picks up the bouquet- “It’s not flowers and strolls around the grounds in the moonlight.”

“No,” Gaius agrees, looking at the flowers, before turning to Merlin with a smile. “It’s still love.” Merlin feels like someone is squeezing his chest at that, and he feels his eyebrows shoot up his forehead. He’s too manly to cry (honest) but he feels the tears well all the same. If he's scarce on praise, he's even more so on love. “So I don’t need flowers _or_ strolls in the moonlight. And if I change my mind, I’m perfectly fine in finding my own date.” He shoots Merlin a wink, before allowing himself to become absorbed in his work once more.

Merlin watches as he works, white hair falling in his face as he burrows his brows in concentration. As he thinks about it, he’s never been lonely here, either. No matter how homesick he’s gotten, how much he’s longed for his mother’s company, or his old friends, he’s never felt alone. He’s always had Gaius, even when it’s felt like the world has been against him. Like a father, Merlin thinks, if he’d ever had one. But then, he considers, if he ever had they probably still wouldn’t be half as good as Gaius.

Merlin clears his throat. “I’d better go get Arthur his lunch before he gets cranky.”

Gaius hums his affirmative. “Oh,” he calls as Merlin is halfway to the door. “Take those, would you. Give them to Guinevere, or some other lady friend of yours.” There’s a tease in his words and a smirk on his face.

Merlin smiles back but takes the flowers nonetheless. He reaches the door and turns briefly. “I love you, too,” he admits, and Gaius looks up from his work long enough to give him a kind smile - perfectly content, and not at all lonely. Merlin's own smile is hidden as the door closes behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm not convinced i really hit the mark with this one. i think i might have gone off-prompt a little, but hopefully you still enjoyed anyway?
> 
> a huge, huge, huge thank you to everyone who commented on my last couple of fics. you're all beautiful and i would die for every single one of you <3
> 
> anyway, if you wanna leave a comment or a kudos they're much appreciated! especially let me know if there's something you think i forgot to tag! 
> 
> i'm taking prompts! if you're interested please drop the prompt in the comments below. if you do send a prompt be prepared for me to take fifty years to fill it because uni is so hard, but i promise i'll try! come say hi on tumblr: [@maddy-does](https://maddy-does.tumblr.com/)
> 
> thanks for reading, have a wonderful existence.


End file.
